Tag: #podcast

Episode 80: Kindness Is Life With Pigs

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Ryan and Mallory Phillips were brought together by a mutual love for a tiny calf.

They join Anitha to talk not only about their incredible ‘how did you meet’ story, which Anitha thought should be made into a movie, but also what it’s like to share a home with a menagerie of animals, such as pigs, chickens, cows and many other amazing beings, they call family.

Ryan also talks about his path to sanctuary life and how it all began when he received a call about a pig named Pumpkin, who needed a home, and needed one fast. Soon after, came Pumpkin’s daughter Charlotte, and thus began Ryan’s life with pigs.

An inspiring story of love and hope.

To learn more about Ryan and Mallory and their Life With Pigs Farm Animal Sanctuary, check out the following links:

Facebook  www.facebook.com/lifewithpigs

Instagram  www.instagram.com/lifewithpigsfarmsanctuary

Youtube  www.youtube.com/lifewithpigs

Website  lifewithpigs.com

As a thank you to Ryan and Mallory for sharing their story, Anitha donated to Life With Pigs Farm Animal Sanctuary.

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 79: Kindness Is Helping Parents Age With Compassion

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Anitha’s sister, Shaila Rao, joins her to talk about the realities of life with aging parents. They share the heartache of witnessing their mom’s health decline due to a rare neurodegenerative disease that affects her mobility and cognitive function. They also discuss their concern and admiration for their 90-year-old dad’s determination to be their mom’s primary caregiver.

A personal and honest conversation about the difficult and heartbreaking issues many of us face as our parents age.

To learn more about Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), click this link: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/progressive-supranuclear-palsy-psp

As a thank you to Shaila for coming on to the show, Anitha donated to Oakville & Milton Humane Society. This organization is dedicated to protecting and making a better life for animals. To learn more about the Oakville & Milton Humane Society, click this link:

Home

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 78: Kindness Is Making The Inside Scouts!

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Mitali Banerjee Ruths joins Anitha to talk about her journey from Medical Doctor . . . to author . . . to creating books about diverse characters, and how kindness intersects all these aspects of her life.

A very fun and engaging conversation.

To learn more about Mitali and the books she writes, click on the following links:

https://www.mitaliruths.com/

https://www.instagram.com/mitaliruths/

As a thank you to Mitali for coming on to the show, Anitha donated to Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres. This international humanitarian organization was founded by doctors and journalists in 1971. They travel all over the world, where people’s needs are greatest to provide neutral, impartial, and independent emergency healthcare to those affected by disaster, disease, conflict and exclusion. 

You can learn more about MSF here: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 77: Kindness Is Celebrating 35 Years Together!

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A very special and personal episode for Anitha as her husband, Matt Robinson, joins her to talk about celebrating their 35th Wedding Anniversary.

They share stories of their early years together, being a mixed-race couple, having kids, and the ups and downs of a relationship that’s spanned many decades.

Anitha is super grateful to Matt, who is usually a private person for taking the leap and joining her.

As a thank you to Matt for his willingness to be a part of the podcast, Anitha & Matt, donated to Operation Angels. This is a new project created by Steve Jenkins (best known as one of Esther the Wonder Pig’s dads). Operation Angels plans to open to the public in the Spring of 2025 as an agritourism destination. All proceeds from this venture will be donated to animal sanctuaries and rescue organizations.

You can learn more about Steve’s new adventure here: https://stevejenkins.ca/operation-angels

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 76: Kindness Is Creating Rainbow Spaces

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In 2021 Nadia Kean-Ayub created Rainbow Spaces. She joins Anitha to talk about what motivated her to start this organization, how this group helps youth in the LGBTQ+ community, and how much they have grown in just three years.

Nadia also shares her favourite ways to support folks in the queer community by being an A+ Ally

  1. Affirm who they are
  2. Accept that their path is their own
  3. Acknowledge
  4. Don’t offer Advice on who they should share their queerness with
  5. Adapt by letting the youth guide you

An emotional and honest discussion of the best and most difficult aspects of creating a safe and inclusive space for all youth.

Photos of Prom

To learn more about the amazing events Rainbow Spaces creates, check out their Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/rainbowspacessb/

As a thank you to Nadia for sharing her story, Anitha offered to donate to Lamba Rising Soccer, a non-profit organization located in San Diego that provides inclusive soccer programs for youth and adults. To learn more about this organization, check out their website: https://www.lambdarisingsoccer.com/

To hear the full episode click here:

Episode 75: Kindness Is Being Jenny Vegan McQueen

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Jenny McQueen is a true hero for animals. She joins Anitha to talk about leading and participating in peaceful anti-fur protests, bearing witness of animals as they are trucked off to slaughter, co-founding Animal Rights Toronto, and so much more.

Jenny has been arrested eight times for peacefully raising awareness about violence against animals, in particular those used in the animal agricultural industry.

Jenny & Alice

She also talks about the devastating death of Regan Russell in 2020. Regan was bearing witness to the last moments of pigs’ lives when she was killed by a slaughterhouse truck driver.

To learn more about all the amazing work Jenny is involved in, check out her Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/jennyveganmcqueen/

To learn about Animal Rights Toronto, the organization Jenny co-founded, check out their website:

https://animalrightstoronto.com/

As promised, here is a photo of the documentaries to watch and the many animal rights organizations you can support:

As a thank you to Jenny for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Promised Land Animal Sanctuary, a safe haven for animals who have been neglected, abused, abandoned or forgotten.

Promised Land Animal Sanctuary cares for horses, chickens, ducks, pigs, donkeys, alpacas, goats, sheep, dogs and cats. They provide all these animals lifelong care and shelter.

To learn about this sanctuary, check out their website: https://www.promisedlandsanctuary.org/

You can hear the full episode here:

Episode 74: Kindness Is Creating an Isle of Misfits

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The incredible Paige Graham joins Anitha to talk about the many dogs, cats, pigs and chickens she has adopted and shares her home with.

Paige began her animal rescue journey in 2010 as a foster for a dog rescue. She soon realized senior animals and those with complex medical needs are sadly often deemed “unadoptable”. With her background in nursing and her huge heart, Paige decided she would give these animals a permanent home, and The Isle of Misfits was born.

Paige shares some heart-warming stories including how she comes up with their awesome names such as Abraham Lincoln, a dog who is missing an eye, Little Richard, an American Bulldog, and Celine Dion, a kitten with a belting meow.

Paige even delves into some difficult personal issues she faced and credits her animals for helping her get through that tough part of her life.

An honest and important conversation about loving animals who many have deemed unfit to live, and also learning to trust and love yourself.

To learn more about Paige and The Isle of Misfits check out her instagram account.

https://www.instagram.com/isle.of.misfits/?hl=en

As a thank you to Paige for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Limbo Chihuahua Rescue in St. Petersburg Florida. Paige personally adopted two paralyzed chihuahuas from this rescue. To learn more about what this organization does and how you can support them, please click on the link below:

https://www.limbochihuahuas.org/?disable_mobile=true

You can listen to the full episode here:

Episode 73: Kindness Is Being A Koala Crusader

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Nine-year old Malani Harris loves everything about Koala’s, including their scat!

Malani does A LOT to help koala’s such as planting trees, donating birthday money, creating an Instagram account dedicated to koalas, and much more!

She and her family travel around Australia looking for koalas, always maintaining a respectable distance.

Such a fun episode about a young girl and her love for Koalas!

To learn more about Malani and her crusade to help Koalas, check out these links:

Koala Family Adventures:

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/koala_family_adventures?igsh=MmNsMDFocGJ2Njc3&utm_source=qr

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/share/XeyHVmbYx35Lm6rh/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Queensland Koala Crusaders: Newsletters with Malani‘s Koala adventures-

Sept 2023  https://www.koalacrusaders.org.au/koala_family_adventures1

March 2024 https://www.koalacrusaders.org.au/koala_family_adventures2

April 2024 https://www.koalacrusaders.org.au/koala_family_adventures3

May 2024 https://www.koalacrusaders.org.au/koala_family_adventures4

As a thank you to Malani for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter, a licensed wildlife shelter providing 24 hour emergency wildlife rescue.

Malani and her family spent time at the shelter helping out. It’s always nice supporting an organization personally known to the guest.

To learn more about Dutch Thunder Wildlife Shelter, check out their social media pages:

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/DutchThunderWildlifeShelter?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dutch_thunder_wildlife_shelter/

To listen to the full episode click here:

Episode 72: Kindness Is Loving Sirga the Lioness

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Valentin Gruener achieved his childhood goal to live in Africa and work with wildlife, and not just any wildlife. Val has spent the past twelve years raising, caring and loving Sirga, a lioness who came into his life when she was around ten days old.

Val talks about sharing his life with a wild lion, including some heart-warming stories. He also talks about the reasons for the devastating decline in the wild lion population, his conservation initiative—the Modisa Wildlife Project, and so much more.

A very special and important conversation about a man, a lioness and how together they are raising awareness to protect wildlife.

To learn more about Val, Sirga and the Modisa Wildlife Project, check out the following links:

https://www.instagram.com/valgruener/

https://www.instagram.com/sirgathelioness/

https://www.instagram.com/modisawildlifeproject/

You can support Val and Sirga and all they are doing here:

www.patreon.com/sirga

As a thank you to Val for sharing his story, Anitha donated to the Kalahari Research and Conservation (KRC). Kalahari is a unique and fragile ecosystem with a rich diversity of plants and animals. This organization works to understand and conserve Kalahari’s distinctive landscape in the face of increasing challenges.

To learn about KRC please click on the following link: https://www.krcbots.org/

To listen to the episode, click here:

Episode 71: Kindness Is Loving A Pig Named Esther

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Derek Walter’s life took a dramatic turn when his then partner, Steve Jenkins brought home a tiny little pig named Esther. Derek talks to Anitha about how this small being created huge and wonderful changes in his life.

Derek quickly fell in love with Esther, became one of her two dads, moved from a suburb to the country so Esther could have all the space a pig needed, welcomed even more farm animals, and eventually co-founded Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary (HEEFS)

This is an incredible conversation about love, family, community, grief, and an unbelievable legacy.

To learn more about Derek and HEEFS, please check out these links:

Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary 

http://www.happilyeveresther.ca 

Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/happilyeveresther?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Derek’s personal website

www.derekwalter.ca

Derek’s personal Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/EsthersDadDerek?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Esther the Wonder Pig Website

www.estherthewonderpig.com

As a thank you to Derek for sharing his story, Anitha donated to HEEFS. Having volunteered at HEEFS and seeing firsthand the beautiful and healing place it is for both the residents and the folks who spend time there, Anitha was thrilled to support this organization.

To listen to this heartwarming episode, click on the link below.